No Condemnation

This morning I was reading one of my favorite blogs (more on Kevin and blogs in a future post). I think it is a great piece on the workings of guilt and how Christians need to deal with it. The blog was very convicting and redeeming for me to read.

For as long as I can remember, I have always struggled with guilt. Not the kind of guilt that paralyzes and keeps one from functioning, but the kind of guilt that always keeps me wondering and second guessing myself. Questions that rattle around in the corners of my mind and never seem to go away. Does God really love me? Do I truly believe the gospel? Am I a legit follower of Christ? Am I doing enough for the kingdom? Was my teaching effective? Have I loved that person well? A seemingly constant tug of war.

I'm not sure where it comes from. Maybe everyone has the same questions and wrestles with similar feelings. Maybe it comes from my desires for achievement and approval. Regardless of the cause, I constantly find myself struggling to believe the words of Paul in Romans 8. "So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus." At the end of the day, I need to be reminded that my acceptance and approval has nothing to do with my actions but of the actions Jesus has already accomplished.

I would encourage everyone to read Kevin DeYoung's entry on guilt. I hope you find it as enriching as I did.

http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/kevindeyoung/